Resilient wheel.



G. V. STEIN.

RESILIENT WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16. 1914.

1,151,302. 1 Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

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RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION HLED NOV. 16. I914.

l 1 5 1 ,302. v Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\? \{lllllllllllll Q eorg Y/Jlein 'rnn snares earns @FMQED GEORG V. STEIN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO PERFECTION SPRING WHEEL COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 24, 1915.

Continuation of application Serial No. 823,119, filed March 7, 1914. This application filed. November 16, 1914. Serial No. 872,362.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORG V. STEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto that class of resilient wheels which are provided with spring spokes, which latter normally maintain the rim and the hub in concentric relation, and which yield when the rim and the hub become eccentric upon passing over an obstacle or when an excessive Weight is placed on the wheel.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a simple, strong and durable wheel of the kind stated, and a novel construction and arrangement of spring spokes as will be hereinafter described in detail and claimed.

The present application is a continuation of the application filed March 7 1914, Serial Number 823119.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the wheel; Fig. 2 is a sectional detail showing the attachment of the spokes to the hub; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section on the line 44 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the action of the spokes.

. Referring specifically to the drawings, the hub ofthe wheel carries a spoke securing member comprising a sleeve 5 having at regular intervals radial recesses 6 opening through its periphery, and forming seats for the inner ends of the spokes 7 The wheel has an ordinary outer rim 8 carrying a rubber or other tire or tread 9. This rim is mounted on an intermediate wooden rim 10, and the latter is in turnmounted on an inner rim 11 having at regular intervals lugs 12 carrying links 13 and 14, respectively, to which the outer ends of the spokes are connected as will be presently described. The rim 10 is employed for the purpose of taking up any vibration set up in the outer rim 8.

The links 13 and 14v are arranged in laterally spaced pairs. As shown in Fig. 3, the links 13 have hub portions '15 at their inner ends to receive a pivot bolt 16, and they are spaced laterally and have seats at their outer ends for a cross pin 17 The links 14 are mounted at their inner ends directly on the pivot bolt, and'their outer ends have seats for a cross pin'18. The lug 12 has a transverse. opening to receive the hub portions 15 of the links 13, the same entering the opening. from opposite sides. The hub portions provide a Wide bearing for the links 13, and the length of the said hub portions is such that a space 19 is left between their inner ends which is packed with a lubricant such as graphite or grease. The pins 17 and 18 do not fill their seats in the links in order that a lubricant packing may also be applied. The pivot bolt 16 has a head 20 at one end, and'on its other end is screwed a nut 21. One of the links 14 is between the bolt head and the adjacent link 13, and the other one of the links 14 is between the nut and the adjacent link 13, said links 13 being thus inside the links 14. On the outer face of the link 14 which is behind the bolt head are outstanding, spaced'and parallel ribs 22 between which the bolt head seats, whereby the bolt is prevented fromrotating relative to the links 14. The nut 21'is locked on the bolt by a cotter pin 23. In'the bolt is a central lubricant conduit 24 leading from an oil cup 25 carried by the head 20, and having branch ducts 26 opening through the side of the bolt.

Each spoke? comprises a pairof fiat or leaf springs placed back to back for a portion of their length, and connected at their inner ends to the hub member 5. The outer ends of the springs divergeby being bowed outward in opposite directions, and one of said springs is connected to the pin 17, whereas the other spring is connected to the pin 18, the connection being made by forming the ends of the springs into eyes 27 to receive the pins. Thus, the springs are con nected to the links 13 and 14, and as the latthe links, the latter are located between the outer bowed ends of the springs. V

The inner ends of the spokes extend into the recesses 6 in the hub member 5, a pair of spokes exte'nding'into each recess and being clamped therein by a wedge block 28.

The recess tapers inward and the spokes seat against the opposite end walls of recess, with the wedge block between the spokes, so that when said wedge block is driven inward, the spokes are securely clamped. The inner ends of each pair of springs forming a spoke have lateral bends 29 which lap and extend into a recess 30 in the end wall of the recess 6 at the inner end thereof, whereby the spoke is securely held against displacement outward as well as inward in the direction ofits length. The member 5 carries radially extending pins or bolts 31 which extend into the recesses 6. The wedge blocks have central apertures through which these pins pass, and on the outer ends of the latter are. screwed nut 32, whereby the wedge blocks are. fastened'in holding position in the recesses. It will be noted that the depth of the recesses is greater than the length of the wedge blocks, which allows the latter to be adjusted inward to take up wear. On opposite sides of the member 5 are located annular plates 33 secured bycross bolts 34: passing through said parts. These plates close up the recesses 6 at the sides of the member 5 and thus prevent lateral displace- 'ment of the spokes. The spokes can be made slightly wider'than the member 5 in order that they mayseat tightly between the plates 33:. The member 5 may be applied to an ordinary wheel hub after removing the spoke ring thereof and the spokes.

The" bowed ends of the springs have a maximum spread or divergence under normal loads, the link pairs 13 and 14 then beingin alinement and standing out straight from the lugs 12, and the hub and the. rim of the wheel being concentric. The springs will be of such strength and tension that the wheel rim, under ordinary loads, is held in this position. This tension may be varied according to the load the wheel is to bear. When the wheel meets an obstruction, the radius from the hub to that portion of the rim in contact with'the ground is reduced, and the radius from a diametrically opposite point on the rim to the hub is correspondingly increased. In other words, the hub lowers and becomes eccentric to the rim. This also happens when an extra load is placed on the wheel. This relative movement of the-hub and the rim is cushioned by the springs. The links 13 and 14 at the bottom swing outward toward the rim and the; links 13 and 14 at the top swing inward toward thehub. This change in the position of the links decreases the distance between the outer ends thereof, and the bowed endsof the springs are drawn toward each other as shown dotted in Fig. 5. The

parts go back to theirnormal position,

shown in full lines, as soon as the obstruction is passed, or the abnormal load is re-' moved. All the springs are brought into play, the degree of distortion being directly proportionate to the displacement of the hub relative to the rim. The wheel runs easy as the tread remains a true circle and is not deformed as is the case in wheels having a pneumatictire or a deformable rim which flatten at the point of contact with. the ground. When a spring is bent, its con.-

cave side is under compression and its coning flat springs placed back to back in pairs, the inner ends of the pairs being seicured to the hub, andthe members; of the pairs being bowed outward in opposite directions at their outer ends, and in contact with each other from the hub to said bowed portions, and oppositely extending pivoted links carried by the rim between the bowed outer ends of the aforesaid members, and,

connected respectively to said ends.

2. A wheel comprising a hub, a rim having lugs on its inner side, and spokes. extending between the'hu-b and the rim, said spokes comprising fiat springs placed back to back in pairs, the inner ends of the pairs being secured to the hub, and the members of the pairs being bowed outward in opposite directions at their outer ends, and in contact with each other from the hub to said bowed portions, and oppositely extending links pivotally connected to the lugs of the rim between the bowed outer ends of the aforesaid members, and connected respectively to said ends.

8. A wheel comprising a hub, a rim, spokes connecting the hub and the rim, said spokes comprising flat springs placed back to back in pairs, the inner ends of the pairs being secured to, the hub, and the members of the pairs being bowed outward in opposite direction at their outer ends, and in contact with each other from the hub to said bowed portions,- lugs carried by the rim and having a transverse opening,1atera1ly spaced cross pins the outer ends of the springs are links having hu'b portions seating in the connected. 10 transverse openings, pivot bolts passing In testimony whereof I aflix my signature through the hub portions, laterally spaced in presence of two witnesses.

links mounted on the pivot bolts, and ex- GEORG V. STEIN. tending in the opposite direction from the Witnesses:

first-mentioned links, and cross pins car- CARRIE M. JoHNsoN,

ried by the outer ends of the links to which LILLIAN LOFTUS. 7

Copies of this patent may be obtained for. five cents each by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

